


time will not wait

by WickedSong



Category: Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Origin Story, Original Character(s), Post-Game, pre-game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-15
Updated: 2020-01-15
Packaged: 2021-02-27 16:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22270096
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WickedSong/pseuds/WickedSong
Summary: "It was a self-fulfilling prophecy; you see? The Sorceress of Time sealed her own fate. She spurred the very same force she was determined would kill her. It's a sad story really."An Ultimecia origin story, in six parts.
Relationships: Ultimecia/Original Male Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	time will not wait

**Author's Note:**

> -Me? Posting fic? In this year of 2020? Stranger things have surely happened.
> 
> -I've been working on ideas and concepts for this since August of last year, and it was originally meant to be a lot more in-depth, but I had another stroke of inspiration in regards to it a few nights ago, and I ended up liking this format a whole lot more.
> 
> -Enjoy!

**_i. end._ **

_"It was a self-fulfilling prophecy; you see? The Sorceress of Time sealed her own fate. She spurred on the very same force she was determined would kill her. It's a sad story really."_

Somewhere, in the deepest recesses of her mind, Ultimecia heard a voice that sounded intimately familiar. A voice, accompanied by memories that fled from her mind as soon as she thought she might _finally_ have a grip on them.

Not that any of that mattered now.

Her powers were gone, her physical form too. All that remained was her soul, and even that would be claimed by the abyss soon.

And yet, she still couldn't quite _remember_.

Her childhood. No matter how fast she ran or how much she manipulated time to her own liking, she could never find it again. Just as she'd told the Legendary SeeD, those memories escaped her.

Like the voice said, _that_ was her downfall in the end, and the very last thought she had before darkness swallowed her whole.

_Forever._

**_ii. lion._ **

The Legendary SeeD weren't due to arrive. Not yet, not this soon. But still, Ultimecia could feel the presence of _someone_ sneaking around her castle.

At first, there had been nine of them - an elite unit sent to destroy her by Centra - but only this lone soldier remained. What a noble knight, Ultimecia thought, and so she let him come.

She figured it was only honourable to give him a proper welcome, as well as a goodbye.

The grand doors opened, and there he was. Ultimecia was momentarily stunned when a spark of memory ignited. His eyes looked familiar, but Ultimecia decided quickly that she wasn't swayed by what looked like pain and sadness in them. She couldn't find it in her to care.

And if it was a trick, as she suspected? Well, the only one allowed any tricks in her Castle, was her.

"...Mecia...I..."

The _name_ , the _voice_ , the pendant that hung around his neck. It felt so _familiar_.

Ultimecia ignored the pang she felt in her heart, holding up a single finger to freeze him in time. With a flick of her hand, she whisked herself off her perch to meet him.

She admired his features, briefly. The tight grip he had on the weapon at his side, was proof of how he had stood his ground through her Castle, and how he had made it all the way here. The shock on his handsome features caught Ultimecia’s eye, but she shook the thought quickly.

When content she was in control – as she should always be, this was her domain – she clicked her fingers again. He stumbled a little in place, but remained upright.

Not for long, however.

"You are either very brave, or very stupid. I can't quite decide which."

Before he could even react, Ultimecia sent a blast of magic his way, throwing the familiar man across the room.

"Perhaps you could show me,” she added.

Ultimecia was only a little impressed that he survived the blast. Though it took him a long moment to rise to his feet, she let him regain his balance, strangely intrigued by he who stood before her.

When he was finally back on his feet, looking worse for wear, the pendant around his neck glimmered again, in the bright light.

_"It's a lion. It means I have to protect people, like my ancestors did before me. A protector of the world and…a slayer of Sorceresses."_

_"Every, I-“_

Ultimecia couldn't find anything more to that memory. But she didn't need to know what happened next. She didn't need, nor did she want to know why he looked at her, almost desperately. As if he would take whatever blow she threw at him next.

"Each of your friends is now serving me, protecting my castle and sealing the powers of those who will try to kill me," explained Ultimecia, quite content with the wards she had put in place. The man in front of her _("Every. Every Hart. You won't forget that, will you Mecia?"_ ) stood defiant nonetheless.

"Maybe, young man, you too can be of service. Maybe, you're a lion."

**_iii. storm_ **

The lighthouse called to her, like a siren lured sailors to their doom. Beside the lighthouse was a small building; a cabin or shack; probably someone’s home from long ago.

Before exploring the lighthouse any further, she felt a calling to the run-down hovel. It was in a state of abject disrepair, like it was blown to pieces years ago. It looked almost like the ruins of the New Esthar Lab she’d just blown up, and escaped from.

But before that-

Well, her memories were a blur, if they were _anything_ at all.

She decided, then, that they’d pay; _all of them_. She may have destroyed their scientists, but Centra seemed to be the beginning and end of all her problems, even if she couldn't remember _why_. They poked and prodded her, turned her into a test subject in what they called their _Memorial_ , but what was really her prison.

A _prison_.

When she entered the nearby house, through a door that hung by a loose hinge, she felt the complete opposite. Though she couldn't place what the feeling was it made her feel safe. 

But she didn't know _why_.

Barefoot, she waded through the mess and rubble that was left behind from what seemed like some great struggle. There was a musty smell in the air, but it didn't bother her. Nothing bothered her anymore, it appeared.

She didn't even feel any pain when she stepped on shattered glass on the floor. It was a picture frame. When she picked it up, and examined it, there was a picture of a man ( _“You must always keep your powers a secret. No one can ever know.”_ ) with a little girl – smiling and familiar and innocent.

The picture read: _Mecia, age 10_.

This _Mecia_ …

This child must have lived in this house, with this man – presumably her father. Where were they, when the doors were kicked in, the windows broken and what looks like blood spilled? She wondered if they were here…and killed.

Who would have done such a thing to such a sweet-looking girl?

She held the picture closer. Broken glass dug into her hands, but it was only a reminder of things she had become numb to.

But one thing that hadn't numbed was her anger. It’s only intensified, standing here in these ruins.

She took another look at the picture.

 _Mecia_ …

**_iv. goodbye_ **

“Leave her alone, you Centran bastards! _Mecia_ , get out of-“

A gunshot finished her father’s sentence before he could hope to. Mecia ignored his last warning - his last words - screaming in shock, as he fell to the floor.

The soldiers, crowding over his prone body, turned their attentions to her. Behind their masks, they nodded their heads at one another – probably some kind of code that Mecia couldn't and didn't want to understand.

“Remember, take her alive,” said one; seemingly leading the charge.

Mecia couldn't seem to tell her legs to move.

The other soldiers grunted in response, and it was their affirmations that suddenly spurred Mecia into action.

But it was already too late.

Before she could even reach the door, there was a stinging pain shooting through her right leg. She didn't have to look down to know she’d been shot.

All of a sudden she was rooted to the spot, and her legs were trembling terribly.

The room spun around, and black was all she could see.

**_v. moonlight_ **

Mecia felt the waves lap at her feet, as she watched the setting sun set of another day. Another _long_ day watching as her father guided boats to safety, repairing them for travelling merchants, military and mercenary’s alike.

By the fading light of the sun, Mecia wondered how long she would be kept waiting.

She smiled, despite herself. She couldn’t really be angry.

She only waited another ten minutes or so, before she heard heavy footsteps behind her.

 _Every_.

She turned to look at him, but instead of looking happy to see her, he walked with a sense of reluctance. His hands were stuck in his pockets, and he looked down at the sand, instead of her.

Mecia felt her heart sink, and the feeling only grew as he came closer.

Around his neck hung a pendant; Mecia hadn’t ever seen it before but she had a feeling she knew what it meant.

Without a word, Every sat beside her, clutching a fistful of sand in his hands. Mecia couldn’t remember ever seeing him so down.

“I would tell you off for being late,” she told him, matter-of-factly, “but I think you have a good reason, don’t you?”

Every swallowed, carefully, looking up to the ever darkening sky.

Mecia wondered if it was an omen of some kind.

“I’m leaving, tomorrow, for the New Esthar Corps,” he admitted, quietly. “My uncle’s arranged it all; it’s finally come.”

The day they’d both dreaded, though neither could completely say _why._

Their feelings had never risen beyond the surface, and Mecia regretted it suddenly.

“Is that your father’s pendant?” she wondered aloud, studying it as closely as she could bear to. “What animal is it again?”

"It's a _lion_. It means I have to protect people, like my ancestors did before me. A protector of the world and…a slayer of Sorceresses."

Mecia felt sick at the prospect and Every sounded as if he could barely say the words, too.

But the die had been cast, probably long before they were born. There was no way to stop what would one day be. They’d known for a while that he’d have to go away, and since she’d told him her most dear secret, she knew it meant they’d never be able to be together, no matter how close or far he was.

"Every, I-“

“I just want this moment to stand still, Mecia,” he admitted. “I don’t want the future. I just want-“

Every couldn’t say it either. He’d never been the best with words, after all.

Mecia leaned over, and took his hand, gripping it for dear life, willing the minutes to go as slowly as they possibly could.

If she had the power-

If she had the power she _would_.

But all they had was now, and that would have to be enough.

**_vi. sorceress_ **

One of her classmates tutted at her, while another rolled her eyes. Mecia ignored them, and their dismissive sighs. When she looked over at Every, her, ever-present and most of the time only, friend, he smiled, encouraging her to speak her mind as always.

The teacher heaved a sigh and raised his hand to pick her.

“Yes, Mecia,” he muttered. “I guess answering the last two questions wasn’t enough.”

Mecia had become an expert at ignoring his comments. Instead, she strove to answer as confidently as she could.

After all, the question the teacher posed was one she’d spent many years pondering herself. Maybe it was her own powers - her own shameful secret - that caused her to think about it so much, or the heaviness in her heart whenever she wondered what her future might hold.

Whatever it was, there was something in her heart that told her she _had_ to know.

She had to have an answer for why someone would do something so terrible, and so desperate.

“It was a self-fulfilling prophecy; you see? The Sorceress of Time sealed her own fate. She spurred on the very same force she was determined would kill her. It's a sad story really."

_Wasn’t it?_

**Author's Note:**

> -Every Hart isn't the best name in the world, but the moment I had this idea, that was his name and I've never been able to change it. Blame my muse, if you must. 
> 
> -Hope you've enjoyed this take on Ultimecia's origin story and comments/kudos would be much appreciated!


End file.
